[Mission Start] JP FltCpt Mei'konda Delano & Cmdr Serala: A Mysterious Signal
Serala
(( Bridge, then Ready Room, Deck 3 Primary Hull, USS Chin’toka ))
(( Captain’s Quarters, Deck 9, USS Astraeus ))
Serala sat in the center chair watching the viewscreen. So far, it had been a fairly boring shift. But all personnel were finally back aboard and the Starfleet personnel assigned to work with the Paldor II Lunar Base had reported self-sustainability which meant they no longer needed the Chin’toka to remain in orbit to support their efforts. Doctor Indobri had finally moved down to the moon’s surface and reported the makeshift hospital as passing. Clearly she wasn’t thrilled about the arrangement, but at least she had a place to work. She idly wondered how long it was going to be before she received new orders. They had been here for some time now and it was unlikely Starfleet would let her remain idle for long. As if on cue, Lieutenant Neshala made a report from the Ops station.
Neshala: Captain, we’re receiving a transmission from Fleet Captain Delano.
Serala quirked an eyebrow at that. She hadn’t heard from the Caitian in some time and wondered what her former CO was currently up to. At least he had received a much deserved promotion. And the last she’d heard, they were dealing with a rogue planet in the PE-629A system which was in House Lanaxa space.
Serala: I’ll take it in my Ready Room, Lieutenant.
The Orion entered the appropriate commands as Serala made her way to her Ready Room. As soon as she had taken her seat behind the desk, she opened the channel to see the leonine face of the Fleet Captain appeared on the screen.
Mei’konda had finally had a chance to settle down at the end of the day. Astraeus had been a little bit stubborn over the course of the day, with minor backup systems failures being irritatingly frequent.
There were so many system redundancies on Federation starships that having a tertiary backup fail for a few minutes wasn’t a huge concern, but it was something that required a lot of time and attention to correct. After walking Odin, he’d gone off duty, and now sat dressed down in off-duty clothes, resting on his quarters’ sofa and facing the viewscreen built into one wall while his pet Rottweiler sat on the floor next to him, his chin resting on one of the Caitian’s knees while he stroked the canine’s floppy ears.
Due to the distance between them and the occasionally strange way that stardates worked, Mei always did his best to check what time it was on another ship he needed to contact so that he would avoid waking anyone at 0300 while it was noon for him. Now, it was late in the evening on Astraeus, but daytime on Chin’toka. It worked just fine for him.
When Serala’s face blinked onto the screen, the Caitian smiled amicably at her.
Serala: Captain… excuse me, Fleet Captain :: she corrected herself, placing emphasis on the word Fleet :: It’s been a long time. How are things on the Astraeus.
Mei’konda: Just Captain, pleaase. Fleet Captain is much too cumbersome. We’re fiine here, thaank you. The usual… a recent chaotic science mission that saw, among other thiings, a group of Valcarian and Romulan ships workiing together, right in the open. :: His eyes flicked over the details in the background of Serala’s ready room. :: I see you’ve been redecoraating.
Serala smiled and nodded, glancing over her shoulder at the mounted dathe’anovfsen and a few pictures of her family that she had on the small bookcase behind the desk. Along with the African violet that Alora DeVeau had given her a few years ago. Somehow, by some miracle, she hadn’t killed the plant yet, although that could change at any time.
Serala: Yes, sir. Not that I begrudge you your time here, but I have wanted this room since the ship first launched. And I am very happy to call this my home now.
Mei’konda: Good. I’m glaad you’re making her your own. You certainly earned her, Commander. I hope that ship and crew are performiing well?
Serala: Far above expectations, sir. But I doubt you called to catch up, although you can always do that at any time you know.
Mei’konda inclined his head in return to Serala over the long range connection. With a few taps on his screen, he sent a transmission to her that would replace his image with one of a distress signal.
Mei’konda: I do appreciaate that, Commander.
She nodded, expecting as much. It was good to know that the senior Captain in the region was someone she had worked so closely with for so many years. They’d developed a working relationship and a rapport that she did miss from time to time. But the burden of command was hers now and she wasn’t about to relinquish that willingly.
Mei continued, since after all, he hadn’t called just to catch up.
Mei’konda: Well, as you know, they’ve got me coordinaating operations here between the different ships in the Expaanse. There aren’t enough forces here to waarrant a Commodore or Admiral, so siince I’m straddling the line between line and flag officer at this point… I get the job. So you can expect some of your assignments to come diirectly from me.
He paused for a moment as his console indicated the message was being scrolled through by his counterpart on Chin’toka.
Mei’konda: We received a transmission from Evan on the Diligent recently. It’s somethiing which needs investigaating, and you’re much closer. I’d liike you to head this way as soon as possible and send me a report.
Serala: And how is your husband doing, by the way?
Mei’konda: Well enough. We miss each other. He has been consiidering transferring out of command and into another role in Starfleet.
Serala had been scrolling through the message that the Captain was transmitting. A Federation starship was apparently broadcasting a distress signal. Additionally, there seemed to be a nearby storm of some kind which was the source of the distress. However, the signal was unusual because it didn’t match any known Federation signals currently in use.
Serala: I think that would be nice. Maybe he could get stationed on Shemsh Colony. That way the two of you could see each other whenever the Astraeus is in port.
Mei’konda: Mmmhm. It would be nice to see more of him. In any caase, what troubles me is that it appears to beaar some similaarity to old Starfleet codes. What do you think of the message?
She finished reviewing the message. It was definitely strange and Starfleet took all distress calls seriously, regardless of the source.
Serala: It is unusual, to say the least. It doesn’t match anything in our databases for currently registered starships. In fact, it almost matches the signals from the 2260s. And regarding the storm, I’m not a scientist so that doesn’t really mean much to me. I would have to have my Science Department take a look at it.
As his image winked back onto the screen, the Caitian smiled crookedly at Serala.
Mei’konda: Good thiing you aren’t on a typical Akira class vessel, then. You actually have a science depaartment.
Serala laughed at that. It was true that the Chin’toka had been refitted from the original class design to include a few science labs.
Serala: Agreed, Captain.
Mei’konda: Well, then. Your opiinion?
Serala: Well, sir, since we’re the closest, I do think we should check it out. Did Evan get any detailed information about the storm?
Mei’konda shook his head slightly.
Mei’konda: Not much. The Diligent was on its way to an assignment they could not delaay. Without saying too much, the Valcarians are involved. Evan’s science officer thought she miight have picked up chroniton particles, but they were not confirmed.
Serala shook her head. She’d had her fill of the Valcarians. They had killed her husband, and more recently attacked Paldor II and destroyed DS26. Their civil war was starting to bleed over into other areas and it was becoming a problem. But then, that was why she’d been assigned here in the first place.
Serala: Chroniton particles? I know science is not my strong suit, Captain, but even I know that means temporal concerns. Are we looking at a temporal event here? It might explain the out-of-time distress signal.
Mei’s smile didn’t diminish, but it did grow more sympathetic. Time travel was something that very few starship commanders wanted to dip their toes into.
Mei’konda: Well, Commander, thaat is what you’re going to fiind out. Please do err on the side of caution. I would rather you discover nothiing, but also avoid eraasing all of us from history, yes?
Serala: Understood, Captain. But you can understand my reticence after our last temporal excursion. Or was that an alternate universe? :: she took on a slightly puzzled look before quickly dismissing it. :: Either way, I am not eager to repeat that experience.
The Caitian shook his head.
Mei’konda: Space and time are one and the saame, in some ways. I’d let your science depaartment brief you more thoroughly. I understaand your caution, but we don’t get to pick our assignments. So, unless there’s anything else, Commander, I’ll wish you good luck. Report baack to me as soon as possible.
Serala: Understood, Captain. We’ll get the job done.
The Caitian inclined his head affably.
Mei’konda: I know you will, Commander. I always knew you would do well in the center chair. Astraeus out.
Serala: I appreciate that, sir.
As soon as the signal ended, Serala stood, straightened her uniform and stepped out to the bridge to begin preparations for immediate departure.
((OOC: As you can see from the title, this is the official start of our mission. Technically, it's the Pre-Mission Mission start, but semantics. Feel free to wrap up shore leave sims over the next few days, but please be sure to mark them as [BACKSIMS] so we know that they are not part of the mission. I will be posting again shortly to start giving out assignments, briefings, etc.))
======================================
Fleet Captain Mei’konda Delano
Commanding Officer
USS Astraeus, NCC-70652
M239002M10
and
Commander Serala
Commanding Officer
USS Chin'toka NCC-97187
A239412S10